Menu

pilcher

My paternal grandmother, Dorothy Louise Harris, grew up in Appleton, WI, the daughter of Orville and Katherine (Katie) Harris. She obtained her teaching degree in 1920 from Oshkosh Normal school, and taught first and second grade in Clintonville, WI from 1920 until 1923. She then taught 2nd grade at McKinley school in Appleton from 1923 until 1929, when she married my grandfather, Russell Weller, and moved back to Clintonville.

I’m very fortunate to have found many mentions of my grandmother in the Appleton Post-Crescent in the years from 1925 to 1929. Dorothy was very involved in her church, and seemed to be a very energetic school teacher.

The following newspaper excerpts are listed in chronological order and give a special glimpse of my Grandma’s early adult life. I’ve added some photos taken of her during that time period.

August 6, 1925 – Trip to Omaha

Mrs. O. D. Harris and daughter, Dorothy, 224 E. Winnebago St., left Tuesday for Omaha, Neb., where they will spend a few weeks with Mr. and Mrs Harold Cook. Mrs. Cook is a daughter of Mrs. Harris.

Dorothy (2nd from rt.) and her mother, Katie (rt.), visiting the Cooks in Omaha

Dorothy (3rd from left) and Katie (left) visiting the Cooks in Omaha

August 19, 1925 – Teaching Staff District 4

149 TEACHERS SIGN NAMES TO 1925 CONTRACTS
Teaching Staffs of City’s Schools Are Almost Completed Now

Chi Tau meet on Tuesday of this week at the home of Miss Dorothy Harris, 224 Winnebago St. at 6:30 P.M.

Monthly missionary meeting at the home of Mrs. S. W. Murphy on Tuesday of this week, January 12 at 2:30 P.M. The devotional service will be conducted by Mrs. Rhoades. The topic for the meeting is Utah. The committee in charge of the meeting consists of Mrs. W. D. Mason, Mrs. William Burbank, Mrs Stewart Leuchars, Mrs. David Ogelvie, and Mrs. O. D. Harris.

January 11, 1926 – Chi Tau Upsilon Meeting

CHURCH SOCIETIES

Chi Tau Upsilon of Memorial Presbyterian church will meet at Tuesday evening at the home of Miss Dorothy Harris, 224 E. Winnebago St. A supper will be served at 6:30 after which the business session will be held.

September 24, 1926 – Geography Committee

PICK TEACHERS TO PLAN PROGRAM
Committees Are Appointed to Work Out Educational Problems.

Committees to work out educational problems were appointed at the meeting of first and second grade teachers with Ben J. Rohan, superintendent of schools Wednesday afternoon. Other business include the distribution of programs for the Northeastern Teachers association convention in Oshkosh on Oct. 8 and a discussion of Better Teaching booklets which have been planned in order that teachers may measure their ability and development through the year.

December 18, 1926 – 2nd Grade Christmas Program

HOLD CLASS PARTIES FOR MCKINLEY PUPILS

Class parties were held in the grades at McKinley school Friday afternoon before the closing of school for the Christmas holidays. Miss Elizabeth Wadsworth and Miss Agnes Tracey were in charge of the party for the kindergarten and first grade children. The second grade had it’s program alone. This was directed by Miss Dorothy Harris.

One of Dorothy’s 2nd Grade classes at McKinley School

February 5, 1927 – Chi Taus Meeting

CHURCH NOTES
Memorial Presbyterian Church

Chi Taus will meet on Tuesday at 6:30 P.M. at the home of Miss Dorothy Harris, 224 E. Winnebago St. Miss Evangeline Wirick, Miss Ruth Mielke, Miss Mararet Miskimin will act as the committee.

March 3, 1927 – Visual Education

VISUAL EDUCATION IS SHOWN TO PARENTS

Visual education as a part of geography teaching was demonstrated at the “go to school night” of the second, fourth, fifth and sixth grades of the McKinley school Wednesday night. About 100 parents attended the model classes.

Stereoptican slides and stereographs are used in the supplementary work of the children. Other subjects demonstrated were silent and oral reading, spelling, mathematics, including examples of the true and false test method of teaching, and oral English.

April 20, 1927 – Chi Tau Society Officers

ELECT OFFICERS AT MEETING OF CHURCH SOCIETY

Election of officers was the principal business at the meeting of the Chi Tau Society of Memorial Presbyterian church Tuesday evening at the home of Miss Dorothy Schenck, N. Leminwahset. A supper was served at 6:30 preceding the business session. Miss Schenck was assisted by the Misses Margaret Miskimmin and Vivian Viel.

Miss Olga Heller was elected president for the coming year. Miss Ruth Mielke was elected vice president and Miss Dorothy Harris was elected secretary and treasurer. Patronesses for the year will be Miss Jessie King, Mrs. J. E. Bond and Mrs. Virgil B. Scott.

September 12, 1927 – Chi Taus Meeting and Womens Missionary Society

CHI TAUS TO HOLD FIRST MEET OF YEAR

Chi Tau Upsilon society of Memorial Presbyterian church will resume its meetings for the season with a supper at 6:30 Tuesday evening at the home of the Misses Helen and Jean Paterson, 319 E. Lawrence St. The Misses Dorothy Harris and Margaret Ritchie will be the assistant hostesses. Miss Olga Heller is president of the society for the coming year. As social will be held following the supper.

A meeting of the Womens Missionary society of the Presbyterian church will be held at 3 o’clock Tuesday afternoon at the home of Miss Marian Smith, 210 N. Park Ave. Miss Kate Schneider will lead the devotions. Mrs. H. H. Clausen, Mrs. Orville Harris and Mrs. G. A. Ritchie will have charge of the programs which will be on new literature for the coming year. Study books for the season will be chosen.

Memorial Presbyterian Church

September 14, 1927 – Womens Missionary Society and Chi Tau Study Book

CHURCH SOCIETY HEARS INDIAN MISSIONARY

Miss Agnes Gale Hill, a missionary from the Presbyterian church to India, told about the people in India and her work at the meeting of the Womens Missionary society of the Presbyterian church will be held at 3 o’clock Tuesday afternoon at the home of Miss Marian Smith, 210 N. Park Ave.

“The Twelve Test of Character” by Foedick was chosen as the study book of Chi Tau Upsilon society of the Memorial Presbyterian church at the first meeting of the season Tuesday evening at the home of the Misses Helen and Jean Paterson, 319 E. Lawrence St. Miss Ruth Mielke read a paper. Supper was served at 6:30. The Misses Dorothy Harris and Margaret Ritchie were assistant hostesses.

October 1, 1927 – Womans Club Solicitors

Workers for the Womans Club will have a supper meeting at 6:15 Monday evening, opening a campaign to raise $10,000 to defray current expenses of the club during the coming year.

The club, entering its ninth year of existence, is planning a comprehensive program of work for the coming year. Its principal purpose is regular club work and to sponsor recreation for women and girls.

The club has a nominal membership fee and an woman in Appleton or Outagamie Co. is eligible for membership. A squad of women soliciting memberships for the club started work last Monday and the two efforts will be carried on together next week.

August 16, 1928 – Prize Winner

PARTIES

Mrs Emory Greunke and the Misses Marie and Irene Greunke entertained at a miscellaneous shower at the latter’s ohm, 709 N. Morrison St. in honor of Miss Emily Greunke, who is to be married hearty in September to William Brydenhagen of Sturgeon Bay. Miss Greunke is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Greunke, 70 N. Morrison St. Bridge furnished entertainment for the evening and the prizes were won by Miss Dorothy Harris and Mrs. Marie Boehm.

September 21, 1928 – Geography Outline

GEOGRAPHY COMMITTEE AT SCHOOL APPOINTED

A meeting of the first and second grade teachers of the public schools was held at Lincoln school Wednesday afternoon.

The committee selected to work on the geography outline includes Mrs. Leila Mortimer, general chairman; Misses Katherine Tracy and Marion Uebele, second and first graid chairmen, and Misses Dorothy Harris, Ruth Taylor, Ruth Hartig, Emma Schwandt, Agnes Tracy, Viola Weber and Lois Smith.

February 11, 1929 – Teaching Reading

RED HATS CAUSE GREAT STIR AT LOCAL SCHOOL

A man with a red hat seen on the streets of a civilized community might cause a ripple of excitement and shop window full of men’s red hats bring forth a few gasps, but it is doubtful if any red had could cause as great a stir as the one in the second grad at McKinley school. In this particular instance a red hat marks the crowning achievement – for the pupils of class B it means victory in the art of reading.

The idea is this. To stimulate greater interest in perfect reading the teach, Miss Dorothy Harris, intimated a contest inbreeding. Each time a child reads well, he is permitted to take one more step in the drawing of a snowman and when the snowman is finally topped with a red hat, the pupil has completed the contest. None steps re involved – three balls for the three parts of the snowman’s body, the eyes , nose, mouth, buttons, broom and finally the red had.

This who have completed their snowman are Harold Bertsky, Donald Own, Doris Jean Rhoder and Oscar Moderson.

Dorothy Harris and Russell Weller

July 15, 1929 – Dorothy Harris and Russell Weller Wedding

WEDDINGS

The marriage of Miss Dorothy Harris, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. O. D. Harris, Winnebago St. and Russell Weller, Clintonville, took place at 7 o’clock Monday morning at St. Rose church, Clintonville. The Rev. Father Dietrich performed the ceremony. Miss Helen Weller, Clintonville, acted as bridesmaid and Emil Tanty, Neenah, was best man. A wedding breakfast for immediate relatives was served at the home of the bride’s parents following the ceremony. After a tour to Niagara Falls and other points of interest in the east and Canada, Mr. and Mrs. Weller will make their home in Clintonville where Mr. Weller is in the hardware business.

Unfortunately, I didn’t know my Grandma Weller as well, or for as long, as I would have liked. She passed away when I was 11 years old. We didn’t live near Wisconsin when I was a child, so we saw our Grandparents once or twice a year. I’m thankful to have found these tidbits about her life before she married my Grandpa.